One factor limiting speed of production of pipes is the time required to remove the pipes from the production facility and to store the pipes for subsequent processing, use, shipment, etc. Another limiting factor in delivering pipes, for example, to a customer is the accuracy and facility with which the pipes can be identified, located and shipped from a storage yard.
One system for expediting material flow and storage from tube processing equipment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,486. Storage of tubes in that system is on relatively immobile racks formed by cantilever arms. At least some of those arms have spacers for separating adjacent tubes. A disadvantage to such system and others served by stacker cranes, elevators or the like, is the limited dimensions of the shelving or storage compartments which are typically in a two dimensional array on one side or two sides of the stacker crane, elevator, etc.
Another example of a prior high shelf storage apparatus for pipes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,653. In the system of the '653 patent an elevator carries cassette-like containers of pipes to individual compartments of a storage building.
Stackable storage racks disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,424 are another approach for storing pipes in a storage area.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,785 and 4,109,808 disclose computer controls for automating control of stacker type cranes used in article handling systems.